Timescaper
by MissAishi
Summary: Avalon Wyatt does not believe in dragons. All hard evidence is completely circumstantial... But when she is sent back in time, she has no choice but to believe in what she is seeing. Avalon Wyatt steps through the timescape and finds herself on the island of Berk, where dragons and Vikings live side by side. Her only hope of return is an enchanted amulet that was lost in the woods.


Schools always carried an unpleasant atmosphere for teenagers. They would compare it to a prison, the lights dim and flickering; the walls gritty and dark, and the lockers large enough to hide a human body inside. Yes, there were new schools that were very colorful, revamped, and decorated. But not at Kinsley Academy. This was a very old school, with bad cinderblock work for the walls, the doors a dark brown with small windows at the top, reinforced with metal inside to keep them shatter proof.

The floors were littered with scuff marks, paint drips from art projects, and the occasional trash here and there from students that either missed the trash can or just didn't care. The door to the classroom 206 was decorated with various symbols, stickers, and a banner over the top that read "Myth=Legend".

Students slowly filed in either one by one, or in tiny groups, congregating in places all over the room, sitting on the desks rather than the chairs. On the walls were various posters of creatures from Mythology, all different cultures, religions, and regions. On the board today was a giant sketch in chalk of a dragon, the skeleton outlined inside of the body.

Just before the bell for the late call rang, in ran a short figure, her blonde hair with bright blue streaks spiked up every which way. Her bangs covered the thick black rimmed rectangle glasses and her eyes were outlined with dark black liner and eyeshadow. Around her neck sat a very industrial, very outdated camera, the Polaroid letters decked out in a different color and shiny, as if they were brand new on the old instant camera.

Once she was inside, she looked up and saw the board and her bright blue eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head with how annoyed she seemed. But her annoyance was soon forgotten when she heard her name called from across the classroom.

"Ava!" She shot her eyes at the male perched on his desk, waving at her, his hoodie sleeves pulled up over his forearms and his fluffy brown hair in a disarray, just like hers. She grinned wide and pranced over to him, holding her camera as she skipped like a light-hearted child.

"Michael! My boy!" She jumped and hugged him tight, making him stumble backwards, even on his desk. He squeaked a little and hugged back his hands patting her between the shoulder blades.

"Alright, alright, everyone, take your seats!" The voice of their teacher brought them from their hug and Avalon sat down next to Michael who leaned back in his seat, pulling out his notebook and flipping it to a blank page. Avalon looked up as their frazzled looking teacher, Hank Haddens, placed several rolled up posters on the desk along with his laptop.

"Alright, everyone, we're gonna start our new section today, and, as you can clearly see, we're starting the dragon portion of Mythology; now who can tell me the difference between Eastern culture dragons and Western culture dragons?"

Silence went through the whole class and Haddens leaned against the board, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, his long reddish brown locks obscuring his eyes a little. He waited patiently until he just decided to answer his own question.

"Western culture has depicted dragons as four legged winged creatures capable of breathing fire and incapable of speech. Eastern culture shows them as serpent like creatures with no wings and above high intelligence; much smarter than all of us."

Avalon was hardly listening to him, for she found dragons to be a preposterous theory, even for mythology. There's just no way that a giant lizard creature could fly like that. And the fact that they could ever breathe fire, or perhaps talk, it was absurd. Avalon found her time was better spent with her nose in her notebook, sketching over something for her art class assignment that was just given today.

She was in a trance, her face focused on her sketch until she heard her name being shouted.

"Miss Avalon!" Avalon looked up immediately and blushed with embarrassment.

"Yes sir?"

"I asked if you could read section 12 in our textbooks?"

Avalon nodded and pulled out her book, flipping it open at a painfully slow speed. The classmates around her started snickering, even after she started reading and well after she was finished. Looking down at her project for her other class, she let out a sigh at the blueprints.

It was her new abstract sculpture that was supposed to represent chaos. The two cyclones with spiked outsides and harsh colors got the point across but she had no idea how she was supposed to make this. They could choose any material they choose but Avalon didn't know if she should choose clay, paper mache, or something else... It was the million dollar question.

Michael was looking over her shoulder at the project and shrugged a little. Michael spent most of his time on the fields in gym classes and playing baseball. She chose all the art classes as her electives. But one of the mandatory classes to take for every senior was Mythology.

They were polar opposites of each other but still the best of friends. Nobody really understood it but didn't argue very much.

The class dragged on as Avalon rested her head on her hands, her chin digging into her skin. Haddens walked back and forth in class, pointing out the posters he brought into class, one of the Eastern type of dragon that you would see in Chinese culture, and the Western type of dragon that is imagined in Europe.

"Now, it is very possible that over time, both cultures have exaggerated their truths a little but I think the closest we could get to the truth is through the study of skeletal remains. Back to Norse Mythology, there was apparently a very rare dragon that did not spit fire, but pure plasma, as the charred remains had an energy count in it's cellular structure that rivaled a lightning bolt... Yes, Alexa?"

Avalon looked over her shoulder at the girl in a plaid skirt that was two inches too high, clearly not following the school dress code at all. It's very against the rules to alter uniforms but she broke them anyways.

"How could dragons breathe fire without it burning them too?"

"Ah, a very valid question! See, in Viking culture, they would show countless drawings of Chieftains dressed in scales and reptile skin. It's highly probable that Dragon skin was flame retardant."

Avalon thought about it and logically, it made sense. But that still didn't explain how their insides were protected from the flames.

"And on that note, I graded all of your papers on Norse Culture," A series of groans and moans echoed through the classroom as Haddens grabbed a stack of papers. "I have to say, I'm honestly impressed with you all. Most of you got A's."

He went around the classroom and placed graded papers stapled together on the desks they belonged on. But when he got to Avalon, he gave hers to her face down and folded a little. A sign of a failing mark. Avalon flinched a little as she lifted up the paper and saw the percentage. _"45% F!" _It was taunting her, that giant red letter.

And in red pen under the grade, it said _See me after class!_ That might scare her more than ever. After he passed out the papers, he went back up to the front of the classroom and continued his lecture until the bell for school being released rang.

Avalon sat at the desk even as Michael stood up. "Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine," She answered a little too fast. "He wants me to stay here. It's probably about this," She held up the paper and Michael flinched at the grade.

"I'll wait for you in the parking lot?"

"Sure thing. I'll be as fast as I can..."

She watched Michael walk out of the room and sat at her desk, waiting for Haddens to call her up to the front desk. He seemed to be nose deep in the papers on his desk and opened up his desk drawer, removing something and placing it on top of his desk. "Ava."

Avalon immediately stood up and walked up to the desk with her test in her hands.

"Professor, about this test-"

"I'm surprised that someone so creative and open-minded for the world of art can be so closed off from a subject like Mythology."

That comment shook her a little. It was no secret that she didn't have the best grade in this class; far from it actually. She was carrying a C average and it was maintaining even through her quizzes and tests, and this one was by far, the absolute worst. To explain this to her mother was going to be an absolute nightmare.

"Ava, what about this class bores you so much into only doing the bare minimum?"

She met eyes with her teacher and let out a sigh, running a hand through her short, spiky hair as she searched for her words. Did it bore her? No, of course not. Mythology is fascinating... But it's all set in stone. You can't change the past, which is why she didn't like History. There's nothing in the past that can be open to interpretation. It just... is.

It's not like art where there's always something to change, always something new, always open to interpretation. Art is what you make it, mythology is what you read. And she didn't find that part fascinating.

"It's hard to be creative with history, Mr. Haddens... I mean, yes, it's very creative and interesting but... I can't argue with it, or change it, or even... I don't know."

There was a pause between them both that stretched out so long, she began to count the ticks on the clock above the chalkboard.

Haddens breathed before he opened up the leather box on his desk and Avalon looked at what was inside out of curiosity. Inside of it was a medallion made out of gold that looked like it was tarnished over time. The details of it were sort of harsh, but solid as it looked like a dragon, but not like one she's ever seen in her textbooks or from the posters.

The body of the dragon was curled up around the circle of the medallion, ridges along its tail prominent through the carving. It had wings no larger than it's body length and on the tail was a separate wing, as it flared out to the side. It was absolutely beautiful and shined in the light pouring through the blinds.

"Ava, I want you to do me a favor," He stood up from his seat, snapping the box closed and gently grabbing her arm, placing the box in her outstretched hand. "I'm giving you a week to change your mind about how you look at Mythology, especially dragons. I want you to retake your test when your time is up. Can you do that for me?"

"W-Why do I need this? This is yours; it must be highly valuable!"

Haddens placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "Not nearly as valuable as a student's mind. If I can change a student's heart, that's more valuable than any family trinket I could own..."

Avalon could feel her heart melting at how completely sincere he sounded and she opened the box, gently running her finger down the side of the medallion before opening her back and carefully placing the box inside the messenger pocket on the front.

"I'll try my best, Mr. Haddens... But I cannot promise you that my mind will change."

"All I ask is that you give it a chance."

With that, she said her goodbye and headed out of the classroom to the parking lot where Michael was leaning against the door of his beat up 1985 Chevrolet Silverado. The colors were very faded blue and white with a silver stripe between them both.

"You okay?"

Ava nodded and quickly jumped into the passenger seat, setting down her bag on her lap and sighing a little, resting her chin on top of it.

"Ava, what happened?" Michael jumped into the truck and pushed the key into the ignition.

"He's giving me a chance to take my test again... And change my mind about the subject on mythology... For some reason, he thinks my mind is more important than the rest of the class."

Michael snorted as he pushed up on the stick and pulled it to the left, pulling out of the parking lot of the school, running a hand through his untamed long hair as the air whipped it every which way, but Avalon's barely moved thanks to the gel she used.

"I'm sure he just doesn't want his lessons to go to waste," He spoke as if he knew inside the teacher's head. "I mean, it only makes sense that he wants you to care, right?"

"Oh bullshit, Michael," Avalon whipped her head in his direction and snarled. "When was the last time a teacher reached out to you because you were 'disinterested' in the subject? There's more to this than what he's telling me, I know it."

"I know you're paranoid and don't trust anybody. Maybe he genuinely cares."

"No teacher genuinely cares." That seemed pretty final to Michael and he stopped talking for the rest of the car ride and even after he pulled up in front of Avalon's house, putting the truck in park and looking over at her.

Avalon seemed to stare at the house for longer than necessary and Michael gently nudged her with his fingertips. "Hey."

She looked up and sighed. "I'm fine, Michael. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Avalon didn't wait for an answer as she pulled on the handle and pushed the door open, slamming it shut behind her and heading for the front door to the house, twisting the key into the lock and kicking the door open.

As soon as she was inside, she heard a loud squeaking noise and rolled her eyes a little, dropping her bag on the floor and heading for the kitchen where she fed the guinea pig in the cage by the dining room and sat down on the bench on the window.

"Ava!" The girl looked up at the staircase.

"Mom?" She shouted back.

"Ava!"

"Mom!"

Avalon ran up the stairs and pushed her mom's door open, leaning against the doorframe as she saw her mom on the ground going through the boxes on the floor and pulling out a scrapbook, flipping through the pages.

"Do you know where your father left my passport? I can't get to Maui without it."

Avalon sighed and rubbed at her temples a little. "And you think it'll be in a scrapbook?"

"The bastard liked to hide things, Ava. Now help me look for the damn thing," She tossed the book back in the box and pushed it into her closet. Avalon headed over to her nightstand and after three seconds, she pulled out the tiny blue booklet with the words 'Passport' written on the front in silver.

"You put it in here two weeks ago, Mom," She handed the woman her booklet and leaned back. "You can't keep blaming him every time something goes missing."

"Why not? That's why Ricky is gone-"

"Ricky is twenty one years old, mom! He chose to go with him, not the other way around."

Avalon's mom silenced as she leaned back and rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands, thinking more about tomorrow than she should be.

"Alright, look," Avalon spoke gently as she turned on her heel. "I have to study for a test..." Before her mother could protest and continue to fight with her, she headed back into her room where she quickly slammed the door hard enough to rattle the trophies on the shelf near her desk; she even managed to knock a canvas off the wall.

Even though her room was highly decorated and she was a very spiritual person, no amount of feng shuy right now could calm her anger that crept up on her out of nowhere. Between her mother being ridiculous again, her teacher attempting to 'change' her, and that stupid screaming from the rodent downstairs, she felt like something was eating away at her brain.

Avalon quickly stripped herself out of her uniform and tossed it to the laundry bin, digging through all her drawers as she pulled out her fluffy pajama bottoms and a loose band tee, pulling them both on and flopping backwards on her bed, staring at the ceiling that was painted to mimic the night sky, complete with glow in the dark stars.

She lifted up her hands and looked at her chipped, purple nail polish and began to pick at it a little before she looked at the back of her hand and frowned at the scar... the little three lines going across her hand reminded her of her brother...

Yes, he was the one that caused these scars but it wasn't exactly his fault where he dropped the fork he put in the microwave... The one thing that they really shared were the scars from that day. He had scars around his fingers where the fork burned his flesh.

A giggle escaped her throat as she was reminded of it. They were both little hellraisers but their parents loved them all the same... In fact, if it wasn't for them both, their parents might have divorced a long time ago... At least, that's what their mom and dad say all the time.

Avalon felt the familiar itch in her fingers when she thought "Maybe you should text Ricky? See how he's doing? How dad's doing...?" But she didn't; she hasn't spoken to them since they both left. Avalon won't ever admit it, but she was mad at Ricky for choosing their father over their mother. Yes, she was an unruly bitch, but she was their mother...

Avalon's thoughts drifted further from the argument and back to the mysterious medallion in her bag; what was her teacher hoping to accomplish by giving her a priceless family heirloom? How did he know she wouldn't try to sell it? Or destroy it? What was his motive?

Avalon was a nobody; another photography buff in a class she didn't like. He had plenty of kids in his class that he didn't like so why did he take such care towards her? And what was she supposed to learn from a stupid pendant?

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and headed over to her bag, pulling open the flap and removing the large leather bound box, cracking it open. A frown crossed her features as she looked at the dragon carving in the gold. It was so strange to see something like this that hasn't ever been on posters in the class or study books. Her fingers traced the creases in the gold and her whole face twisted in confusion... It felt like it was vibrating.

Avalon removed her fingers from the metal and rubbed them together; it was bizarre. As she looked down at her hand, she saw something that made her drop the medallion and it crossed the floor, rolling under her bed. She watched her veins light up like Christmas lights in her skin. The purple faded and soon, she saw her whole arm glowing with a bright, sparkly gold color that matched the shade of the medallion that was currently under her bed.

She began to shake her arm violently as she squeezed her eyes shut, a sudden sharp pain coursing through her veins. "F-Fuck! Stop, stop, stop it!"

Her eyes remained closed, ignoring her surroundings for as long as humanly possible until she couldn't stand it; it felt like her skin was bubbling, the burning was almost unbearable. But as soon as the pain was there, it vanished... What was that about?

Very slowly, Avalon opened her eyes and immediately let out a huge gasp of terror. She was in a place she didn't recognize... In the middle of the room she was in was a giant fire pit with a sword over the scalding coals that glowed with life. Her face radiated pure fear as she could feel the heat of the fire. It was impossible to see anything else from the lack of flames, nothing but burning embers. The faint glow was enough for her to make out a large throne and it looked like... Was that an axe?

Avalon felt like her heart was going to explode as she heard the door slam open at high speed and what she saw, it almost knocked her off her feet. At the door was a huge, leathery beast, baring it's teeth... The jaw was wider than anything she's ever seen and it looked like a giant black cat without fur. It's eyes glowed a fierce greenish yellow, the pupils almost nonexistent as it slowly made it's way through the door. The size of this creature was like a monster... larger than anything she's ever seen before.

The color drained from her face and she slowly backed away, her whole body slowly approaching the fire pit without her knowledge, the fear clouding her judgment. As soon as the large, leathery beast was through the door, she watched as something on it's back began to unfurl and her heart dropped in her stomach... Oh God, the giant lizard... It had wings! Her knees lost all power and her rear hit the fire pit's edge, her hand landing directly into the hot coals behind her.

A shriek left her mouth and she dropped to the wooden floor, gripping her wrist as her skin bubbled with pain. Her eyes squeezed shut as she thought the giant beast was going to devour her at any second...

But when she opened them, she saw her room again. Her bed, her dresser, her desk, her camera tripod... What the hell... Was it all just.. a hallucination? The hell happened?

Her eyes darted from the desk to the bookshelf in terror and she sunk down onto the floor, breathing heavily seeing that she was back home. When her hand made contact with the carpet, however, she let out a blood curdling shriek of pain and looked down to see it covered in blisters and scorching red. If that was a hallucination... What the hell is this?


End file.
